Lizzo said she isn’t letting critics and negativity get in the way of pursing “the joy of my life”: creating music and sharing it with listeners.
The “Truth Hurts” and “Rumors” singer, 35, reassured fans that her music is here to stay despite declaring in an Instagram statement last week, “I QUIT.” The Grammy winner, facing a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and a hostile work environment, clarified her stance in a brief video shared Tuesday afternoon.
“I wanna make this video because I just need to clarify: When I say ‘I quit,’ I mean I quit giving any negative energy, attention,” said the singer, who was wearing a plunging electric blue bodysuit from her Yitty shapewear line.
Lizzo (birth name Melissa Viviane Jefferson) said she wants to continue making music in hopes of motivating others to also move past negativity. Before three former dancers sued the singer in August 2023, Lizzo built her empire on self-empowerment and positivity, releasing feel-good songs such as “Juice” and “Good as Hell.”
Lizzo said on Tuesday that it’s her goal to give listeners the confidence to “stand up for themselves” and “win” against critics and their opinions.
“With that being said, I’m going to keep moving forward. I’m going to keep being me,” she said, before thanking fans for their support.
In late March, the “Boys” musician announced that she was done dealing with criticism from “everyone in my life and on the internet.” She wrote, “I’m starting to feel like the world doesn’t want me in it.”
She took aim at unnamed people allegedly lying about the singer, “disrespecting my name” and making her appearance the “butt of the joke every single time.”
“I didn’t sign up for this s—. I QUIT,” she concluded her statement. At the time, she did not explicitly say she was leaving music all together.
The March missive wasn’t the first time the singer-flutist seemingly threatened to quit the music industry over negativity. In June 2023, the singer said in a series of since-deleted tweets that she was considering leaving music behind after facing body-shaming online.
After sharing her “I QUIT” declaration, Lizzo was met with both support and criticism. In the comments, stars such as Eric André, Paris Hilton and Letoya Luckett sent their love to the singer. Actor Holly Robinson Peete encouraged the singer to keep at her career and “find tools and practices to shut out the noise.”
The attorney for the three dancers taking Lizzo to court, however, was far less supportive.
“It’s a joke that Lizzo would say she is being bullied by the internet when she should instead be taking an honest look at herself,” attorney Ron Zambrano said in a statement shared with The Times on Monday. “Her latest post is just another outburst seeking attention and trying to deflect from her own failings as she continues to blame everyone else for the predicament she is in.”
Zambrano’s statement questioned the credibility of Lizzo’s “I QUIT” statement — likening it to a tantrum — and urged the singer to “accept responsibility for her actions.”
The statement added: “She can make all of this go away simply by seizing the opportunity here to set an example, own up to her mistakes, pay what’s due to those she’s wronged and work on becoming a better person.”
___
© 2024 Los Angeles Times
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
